Martini Groove

Don't lie, you wanted to be Tom Cruise in Cocktail... Shakin' it up and throwin' stuff around then at the end of the night going home with Gina Gershon who also sleeps with your best friend then you go to some island and meet Elizabeth Shue and fall in love only to find out she's having your baby and her father can't stand you but you take her anyway and open up your own bar. This little gadget is the first step to having all that and more! The Y0-Yo Shaker (no relation to famed cellist Yo Yo Ma) allows you to fill it up with the goods then huck it at someone. But look! It has a string that attaches to your finger and rolls out just like a yo-yo! It comes right back, just like a bowling ball doesn't! Yo-Yo Shaker Fat tip to Gizmodo

Super-secret sleuth Courtney works at a liquor store and thought of me! But instead of sending the raunchy nudie pics that she usually sends me, she sent me pics of the Spykes line-up. Yes, I know that it looks as clear as the pictures of Sasquatch, but do YOU have pictures that you took of the Spykes line-up? I didn't think so. Spykes - You know, for the kids

In 1981 Absolut started an ad campaign with a simple picture of their bottle of vodka with a halo over it, the caption read "Absolut Perfection." Now, over 25 years and over 1,500 Absolut Something ads later, they're killing the campaign. One of the most recognizable print campaigns in history is getting the boot because the company feels that people can't "get involved" with the brand, rather than be shut out by a campaign style that limits the company as well as the consumer's inspiration. The next campaign will be shots from an Absolut world. The new campaign will illustrate life in an imagined Absolut world, where men could have babies, the moon would be a disco ball and there would be no global warming. One of the first executions to be rolled out will show an image of New York's Times Square, where the advertisements have been replaced with fine art. The new campaign will also go beyond print and become much more broad-based with print, plus ...

If you've been itching to try the G One Sake by Sake One , it's for sale right now during the Woot off. Two bottles for $29.99 plus the famous $5 shipping. G Sake in the Woot Off! Edit: Hopefully you got one, it's gone now!

Rather than write a review on a product that was sent to me, then read it over, and then edit it significantly, I figured that I would just write it as I drink it. This way you'll see how much actually gets edited out on my other reviews. This session is brought to you by the Irish whiskey, The Knot . Open it up Good God! It smells like someone just shoved the jar of butterscotch from my Grandma's house up my nose then topped it off with butterscotch topping from Farrell's. You know, Farrell's, where you are a little piggy, you have a little snout, you love to come to Farrell's because that's where you pig out. It better NOT taste like this and still have those ads with the rusty, old guy telling you not to be a wimp. Pop a swig The butterscotch smell becomes pleasing and hits my tongue without being that strong, but then it hits me. OH MY GOD THE BURN! This stuff makes *me* want to make a commercial with lots of cussing in it. The second sip doesn't se...

Reyka Vodka came out with some clever new commercials, made by the same people that did The Knot , which are now, sadly, not being run because they were just too tough, even though they were advertising classics. Check out my favorite Reyka commercial, the rest are on YouTube.

These wine glasses have some tubing that connects them across the bottom, so as one glass gets raised, your wine flows in to another glass. You see, liquids always seek their own level, it's very complicated. So, you both have to raise your glass at the same time in order to properly take a swig, so, you better be nice to your date if you want some. Now, we can toast...um...each other. My Other Half

In 1602 King Christian IV made a vodka recipe that consisted of potatoes and pure Norwegian water, well I assume his recipe included Norwegian water because importing water in 1602 wasn't super popular. It's distilled six times, charcoal filtered, then they use this cool air-filtration process. I guess if you're doing that then you have to worry about the quality of the air too, so the next company that uses this process will have to advertise how pure their air is. You can find it right now in the NY tri-state area with plans to roll it out through the rest of the year. Christiana Vodka via Luxist

Hey, not every drink has to suck the very life out of you in a use-now, pay-later kind of way. Some drinks can actually add to the account balance and not make you feel like the bathroom floor. Oh man, the bathroom floor. So cold, so inviting. Thank you, bathroom floor. The IV is a drink that gives you plenty of nutrients and still a bit of the alcohol that pleases the palate. The IV Place 2 teaspoons light agave nectar in a cocktail shaker. Add 1 teaspoon hot water and stir. Then add: • 1 1/2 ounces Jameson's Irish whiskey • 3/4 ounce fresh-squeezed blood-orange juice • 1/2 ounce fresh-squeezed lemon juice • 2 dashes Angostura bitters Fill shaker with ice, shake vigorously (thus burning ten calories), and strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Top off with ¾ oz red wine, carefully poured over the back of a spoon to create a layered effect. Hey, don't replace your daily smoothie with one of these, but it might be good drink to have for that night when you go out drinkin...

I've had these bottles of Fina Estampa tequila sitting around for quite a while and just haven't attacked them for the simple reason that I need to be in just the right mood to even sip tequila. A couple of weeks ago I cracked open the bottle of Fina Estampa Anejo and tonight I poured myself a glass of their Reposado. I tend to prefer Reposado's for the most part as they haven't aged as long and don't have as much of the strong flavors that most Anejo's have. However, Fina Estampa's Anejo was easily a velvety feel and as smooth and tasty as any tequila I've tasted and the Reposado came across with a great caramel taste. Excuse me, are you the singing bush? The Anejo was nice and dark-yellow and looked thick when it was swirled around. The tequila smell was strong but the taste came across a lot lighter with a smokey feel that lasted for quite a while. It was gentle and warm as I swallowed it. Completely satisfying and made me feel like I was in a per...

Gilbey's vodka is a fairly decent well vodka and they're now adding some extra flavors to their lineup. The vodka will now come in citrus, grape, raspberry and cherry, four flavors that definitely make it perfect for coming up with some new drinks. I think I would use the cherry one and create some sort of cough syrup tasting drink. How come I'm not a bartender? Expect to see the new flavors starting in May. Gilbey's Vodka - 750ml for US$8.99

Is there a spirit that *isn't* on the rise right now? It seems that just about everything with alcohol in it is taking off and selling like crazy. Sake is definitely one of those and it's starting to take on a life of its own well outside of the traditional Japanese brands. G Joy Sake is milled down to 60%, a process that reduces the rice to 60% of it's weight and removes the proteins and the oils, leaving just the starch. Most sake's out there are usually milled down to about 70%. The idea is that the more it's milled, the better the final result. The idea behind the drink is to make a sake that is more for American palates and for people who love food. SakeOne G Joy Sake - US$20

I freaking love The Kentucky Derby. I love horse racing in general but always settle down for the Triple Crown and the Derby is my favorite of them all. This year, US$1000 will get you a mint julep using the finest ingredients (mint from Ireland, organic sugar from Australia, ice from the Bavarian Alps, and bourbon from Woodford Reserve .) that is poured in to a gold cup with a silver straw. Last year's didn't have the special cups that are on display this year that showcase each and every winner of The Derby. The Run for the Roses 133 years means that there will be 133 of the editions made. 13 will posted at auction, 109 will be up for sale online (first come, first serve), with only 10 being up for sale at the actual race. All proceeds go to benefiting retired horses and jockeys through Thoroughbred Charities of America . Snagged from Luxist

Finding a good vodka is not that hard anymore but finding one that won't break the bank is a task that is not easily undertaken. Exclusiv Vodka comes fresh off a Silver Medal from the San Francisco Wine & Spirits competition and brings it's Moldovian heritage to the world. It was also awarded one of the best buys in spirits for under $20 by Tastings Magazine. The fall of Communism just keeps getting better and better. Exclusiv Vodka

The FDA has ruled against Redux Beverages, the maker of Cocaine energy drink, and has ordered it to change the name of the product. The FDA said that advertising it as an alternative to the real cocaine and also saying that their claim that it can cure certain diseases is a crock. They also thought the name just pretty much sucked and wasn't something they wanted. Redux beverages plans to just start selling the drink in red and blue bags and making you drink it off a toilet seat. Redux Beverages gets wrist slap

Kalashnikov Vodka is launching to quite a stir in Russia and is expecting to quickly expand its worldwide operations. Started by General Mikhail Kalashnikov, yes THAT General Mikhail Kalashnikov, the one who was a Red Army Tank Commander who was injured and then turned to designing guns, is trying to be remembered for vodka rather than weapons. Their sales last year were around 25,000 cases and they expect to get to 175,000 cases in the next two years. This is the entire reason they built the bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Fireams. Kalashnikov Vodka

Marthastewart.com is jumping on the drinkin' bandwagon and re-launching the site with a hefty cocktails section. They have plenty of drinks that are good ones for parties and even a few listed by occassion, which is always helpful and I'm surprised more sites don't do it that way. They have info on how to entertain for the upcoming Cinco de Mayo, the perfect summer cocktails, and even a cocktail called "The Brokeback Mountain." I have no idea why it's called that. Martha Stewart Cocktails

Travis from Gizmodo made a short video of the inflatable beer bong in action. Get it here .

Underage Drinking Brochure I think underage drinking is just absolutely stupid. Seriously, you have your entire life to get so hammered that you can puke in your date's purse, is it really that important to do it a few years early? Miller Brewing Company has a free brochure to help parents talk to their kids about it. Get it her e. BBQ/Wine Pairing Wheel Summer is on it's way and you'll need to know exactly what Savignon Blanc goes with 20 pounds of brisket on a hot afternoon. Woodbridge has you covered with their free BBQ wine wheel . There's also a very cool freebie that you're going to want, but you'll need to head over to Days That End in Y to get it.

In an apparent effort to prevent global warming and save the snow pack of the Rocky Mountains, Coors is now serving up their on tap beer extra cold through a specially installed tap. Coors Light Super Cold Draft has a unique tap that cools the beer further as it flows through with the end result being a beer that is 5 or 10 degrees cooler than the average cold, on tap beer. Though this may sound like some cheap gimmick, I'm all for it. Anything that cools it down beyond my taste bud's recognition is just fine by me. Coors Light Super Cold Draft

You probably think most wine chillers suck so you don't even own one. Now you can't complain because this wine chiller let's you pretty much make your own. You just pour the water in to the mold with whatever else you want inside the mold (like gold coins or Jujubees) and let the baby freeze. Pull it out and you've got yourself a bona fide wine chiller that has a base that catches all the melted water. Nice Ice Wine Chiller Mold - US$24.95

Bring 700 spirits to San Francisco and you're in the middle of the San Francisco Spirits Competition. In the White Spirits category winners include: Tanqueray Sterling Vodka as "Top Vodka," and Finlandia Grapefruit Vodka for "Top Flavored Vodka." "Top Gin" went to Tanqueray London Dry Gin and Pampero Aniversario Rum took "Best Rum." "Top Cachaca" went to Leblon Cachaca. Winners in the whisk(e)y category include: Redbreast 12 Year Old Pure Pot Still as "Top Irish Whiskey," and Sazerac Straight Rye Whiskey as "Top North American Whisk(e)y." Johnnie Walker Anniversary Pack Scotch was "Top Blended Scotch" at an impressive $2,600/bottle. Johnnie Walker Green Label Scotch, 15 Year Old took "Top Blended Malt Scotch." In the brandy and liqueur categories, Hennessy Paradis Extra won "Top Cognac," occhino 16 Year Old took "Top Grappa," and "Top Pisco" went to Barsol Pisco ...

While everyone else was thinking of a mega-market vodka with shiny bottles and some sort of color to add to it, Tito Beveridge was quietly making a small batch vodka with his bare hands, the help of 17 credit cards and some Texas know-how. 160,000 cases a year later (up from 4,000 in 1998), the 4-times distilled vodka is the fastest growing brand in the US and available in every state but Iowa, and we all know what Iowa stands for. The vodka bottle looks more like a tequila label than vodka, but its rave reviews and popularity shows that you don't have to have Paris Hilton pushing it or a $10,000 diamond floating in the middle to get it out there and sell well. Tito's Vodka - US$18.99

I've waxed poetic a few times about Hpnotiq, the blue cognac that makes drinks glow in your favorite club. The creator of Hpnotiq (who sold the brand for a cool US$30 million) is set to launch another booze that is designed specifically to be a flash-in-the-pan trend in the nightclub scene. Well, I thought that about Hpnotiq too. Apparently, I'm not much of a prognosticator of inebriation libations. The vodka is bubbly and...um...pink. Some may think that this is a decidedly feminine attribute and that's mostly because it is. The bottle even says "for her" on it and tastes of a touch of peach, a touch of strawberry, a touch of passion fruit. That's a whole lot of touching. Nuvo Sparkling Vodka - US$30 for a 375ml

Though vodka's that contain the essentials of energy drinks are certainly nothing new at this point, this one is worth noting because of it's country of origin. England is now the proud home of it's own energy vodka that contains guarana, creatine, d-ribose and natural caffeine and delivered at 41.25% ABV. Alice Red has a clean taste with subtle notes of chocolate, vanilla, cream and coffee and is distilled 5 times in London from traditionally yeast fermented English grain grown in Norfolk & Suffolk. Those are places in England, they probably have soccer teams. Two shots of the stuff contains the same amount of caffeine as your traditional energy drinks. You can go now, be the wide-awake drunk you've always wanted to be. Alice Vodka

It was bound to happen. I've had such wonderful experiences at San Francisco bars and clubs that they all couldn't be great. Sure, some have always been better than others, but I've never been to one that I'd call "bad." Enter Crash at 34 Mason, San Francisco, CA. I was invited to be on the VIP List for a special night they were having to have tryouts for the show "American Stripper," some new reality show that will detail the rise of a stripper to become...I have no idea. I arrived to be told rudely by a bouncer who seemed to think that he worked somewhere that didn't suck that there was no VIP list and that'll be $15 to get in. Okay. I'm here, there's no line, so I'm not going to let a cover charge kill my night. I walk in to a floor that is completely empty and I think the place is completely dead. I am then yelled at and told that all the action is on the 2nd and 3rd floor. As I go through the night I learn that getting y...

I always think it's adorable when people tell you the best way to avoid a hangover is not to drink or some such nonsense. We all know the hair of the dog is the real cure here. Calwineries.com has been kind enough to post plenty of cocktails for that morning after hangover that will help you rise to the occasion of another day of drinking. Particularly useful on Memorial Day or 4th of July weekends, or at your best friend's wedding and your best friend happens to be the girl you're in love with. Hellllooooo John Hughes. It's divided up in two sections: Clear Alcohols with Water Based Mixers -- Clear alcohols (Vodka, Gin, Light Rum, etc.) have less hangover causing Congeners, and water based mixers will lessen dehydration Drinks that Contain Vitamin B6: Bananas contain Vitamin B6 and B12, which are known to help reduce hangovers. Bananas are also high in Potassium, which is depleted from alcohol consumption So, stop it with the gallons of water the second you wake up, ...

I'm one of the biggest fans ever of The Triple Crown. The pageantry and elegance as well as a solid excuse to be outside and have a cold cocktail in your hand is just too inviting for me. It really blows chunks that I haven't been to a single one of them in-person, they need to give me some blogger trip or something. As The Kentucky Derby approaches us on May 5 to kick off the season, Grey Goose has come out with a drink built specifically for the most exciting two minutes in sports. Run For The Roses Cocktail 3 Parts GREY GOOSE L'Orange Vodka 2 Parts peach brandy 2 Parts southern sweet iced tea 2 Parts fresh lime juice 2 Rose petals for Garnish Chambord for floating Add first four ingredients into a cocktail shaker filled with ice. Shake vigorously until the outside of the shaker is frosted and beaded with sweat. Strain into two rocks glasses filled with crushed ice; pour Chambord so that it floats on the top of the drink. Garnish drink with rose petal...

Mendis is an ultra-premium coconut brandy that is going to launch this Fall. It is the world's first coconut brandy which makes me wonder how it gets its "ultra-premium" designation. In order for something to be considered ultra-premium there would have to be something out there to benchmark it against. Kind of like how Domino's has a "medium" and a "large" pizza but no "small" when the very term "medium" implies that it's "between" something. Mendis is letting some happy soul purchase the very first bottle off the line for a cool $1 million dollars. That $1M buys you the signed first bottle, a certificate of authenticity, a luxury trip, and personal security. The second bottle off the line is being given away from their website which will be awarded on July 17, 2007. Mendis coconut brandy is a 100% all-natural clear brandy distilled from the essence of the coconut flower. It is matured for a minimum of two year...

Let your guests announce themselves with the crystal clear musical toast rather than the boring sound that usually proclaims from the little box in your house. The Peter Van Der Jagt ‘Bottoms Up’ Doorbell makes just such a joyful noise and costs tons more than the crappy little doorbell you have now. I have no idea why these people are hugging. Peter Van Der Jagt ‘Bottoms Up’ Doorbell - US$151

Spykes from Anheuser-Busch is their latest ploy to market directly to the teenage market, or so some are saying. A-B's (That's what we call Anheuser-Busch in "the biz") release of the flavored malt liquor with 12% ABV (That's Alcohol By Volume in "the biz") has plenty of tasty flavors (Which is code for "totally disgusting" in biz-speak) and looks like an alcoholic Jamba Juice. No, I haven't had them. But I've never been burned alive either, that doesn't mean I want that either. The flavors of Spicy Mango, Hot Melons (!!!), Spicy Lime, and Hot Chocolate come in bright 2oz packaging. Each one also contains caffeine, guarana, and ginseng. You know, for that quick boost of energy before exams. Of course, A-B denies any such marketing tactic but if that's not the case, I'm not really sure why they have message boards on their site as well as an AOL Instant Messenger screen name and downloadable AIM icons. Spykes